Sweeping apparatus



y 1. 1958 E. A. ANGELL 2,834,034

SWEEPING APPARATUS Filed July 11-. 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

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y 3, 1958 E. A..-ANGELL SWEEPING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July ll-. 1955 INVENTOR. EI QAEST A. ANGELL,

($2M a/W ATTORNEY- United States Patent C "ice SWEEPING APPARATUS Ernest A. Angeli, Loma Linda, Calif. Application July 11, 1955, SerialNo. 521,182

4 Claims. or. 15-79 This invention relates to improvements in power operated sweepers for removing leaves, cuttings and debris from lawns, paths, drives and similar surfaces.

it is an object of this invention to provide an eflicient sweeper such as described, in which a novel means readily operable at will, makes it possible to raise or lower the sweeper brush and maintain it at an elevation best suited for sweeping closely cut lawns, lawns of high growth, as well as paths, walks, drives, and the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sweeper such as described, in which the operation of steering the sweeper and varying the elevation of the brush are controlled by simple and easily efiected manipulations of a handle connected with the sweeper and extending rearwardly thereof, the elevation of the brush being varied by raising and lowering the handle.

It is an additional object hereof to provide a power operated sweeper such as described, wherein a housing or main body of the sweeper which carries the sweeper brush, a motor and drive means for the brush and traction wheels, is supported by the wheels in such a manner that upon an easily effected movement of the handle, the housing may be tilted about the axis of the wheels to dispose the brush at the desired elevation.

Another object of this invention is the provision in a sweeper such as described, of a novel form of collector unit or bin into which the sweepings are deposited from the housing as the sweeper is being operated.

A further object hereof is the provision of a sweeper such as described, in which the bin or collector unit is pivotally connected with the sweeper housing in such a manner as to facilitate tilting of the housing for varying the elevation of the brush.

An additional object is the provision of a sweeper such as described, wherein the collector unit has a novel means for exhausting the air blast developed by the sweeper brush in transmitting the sweepings into the collector.

Further, it is an object to provide in a sweeper such as described a novel means by which the contents of the collector readily may be removed therefrom.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form, which illustrates the general principles of the invention, will now be described in detail; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sweeper embodying the present invention;

Fig.2 is a top plan view of the sweeper;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

2,834,034 Patented May 13, 1958 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the shaft on which the brush is formed;

Fig. 9 is a schematic fragmentary sectional view of the sweeper with the brush shown in an elevated position; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the brush in a lowered position compared to the position thereof shown in Figs. 3 and 9.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, it will be apparent that a sweeper embodying the present invention includes a power driven sweeper unit A and a trailing collector'unit B into which the sweepings are directed from the sweeper unit. A handle C connected with and extending rearwardly of these units provides for steering and controlling the operation of the sweeper.

The sweeper unit A includes an elongated housing 1 having opposed side walls 2, a top wall 3 and a hood '4 which is hinged as at 5 to the top wall 3 and forms a continuation of the top and side walls of the housing.

An axle 6 and a conventional differential unit 6a are supported by an axle housing 7 extending between and mounted on the side walls 2 nearer to the rear ends of these walls than the front ends thereof. The axle 6 supports and drives traction wheels 8. The side walls 2 are mounted on the axle housing 7, as shown at 7' in Fig. 5, so that the housing 1 is bodily tiltable about the axis of the wheels 8 for the purpose which will be hereinafter fully described.

The front end of the housing 1 is adapted to be yieldably supported on casters 9. These casters are supported on a cross bar 10 mounted on brackets 11 fastened to the outer sides of the side walls 2 of the housing. Springs 12 surround the stems 13 of the casters. These stems and the springs are mounted in brackets 14 on the bars 11 so that the springs will yieldably support the front end of the housing on the casters.

A rotary brush 15 is mounted between the side walls 2 in the open lower portion of the front end of the housing 1 for sweeping the surface over which the sweeper is moved. This brush includes a shaft 16 on which groups of bristles 17 are secured by means of arcuate tubular members l8 clamped on the shaft by means of the bars 19 and bolts 2%. The shaft 16 is mounted in bearings 21 and is driven at opposite ends by means which will be hereinafter described, so that the brush 15 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as indicated in Fig. 3.

The front portion of the hood 4, as shown in Fig. 3,

is curved somewhat in conformity with the brush 15 so that it forms a guide passage 22 through which the sweepings pass over the top of the brush as the latter rotates in a counterclockwise direction. The passage 22, as shown in Fig. 3, communicates with a longitudinally extending conduit or passage 23 formed between the top wall 3 of the housing and a transverse wall 24 extending between the side walls 2 and fastened thereto over the wheels, 8. The front and rear portions of the wall 24 are curved downwardly whereby. the entrance and discharge ends of the duct or conduit 23 are flared. At the front end of the wall 24 is a plate-like deflector member 25 which extends closeto the brush 15 so as to remove leaves or sweepings which may stick to the ends of the bristles 17. The member :25 also prevents the sweepings from dropping between the brush and the intake end of the passage 23 and thus closes the lower side of the passage 22 where it joins the passage 23.

Means for driving the traction wheels 8 and the brush 15 as here provided, includes an internal combustion engine 27 mounted upon the top wall 3 of the housing 1 directly over the axis of the wheels 8 and approximately centrally of opposite side walls of the housing. The engine 27, through chain drive means 28, operates a shaft 29 mounted in bearings 30. This shaft operates chain drive means 31 and gears 32 at its ends for driving shafts 33 and 34 respectively. The shafts 33 and 34 are mounted in bearings 35 and 36. The shaft 33, through chain drive means 37, drives the traction wheels 8. A clutch 38 is associated with the shaft 33 for controlling the drive means 37 for the traction wheels 8. Operating means 39 for the clutch 38 includes a rod 49 and handle 41 extending to the rear end of the sweeper handle C.

The shaft 34 operates through a clutch 42 and chain drive means 43 to drive the brush 15. The drive means 43 is controlled by the clutch 42, which in turn is controlled by operating means 44 including a rod 45 and handle 46 extended to the rear end of the sweeper handle C.

The throttle of the engine 27 is controlled by a Bowden wire unit 27a including an operating lever 27b mounted at the rear end of the handle C.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a side brush 47 may be mounted to rotate on a vertical shaft 48 rotatable in bearings 49 fixed on an extension 50 of the bracket 11 at the right front end of the sweeper. This brush is driven by a belt and pulley drive connection 51 between the brush shaft 16 and the shaft 48. The location of the brush 47 makes it possible to sweep close to walls and other obstructions. The brush 47 is rotated in counterclockwise direction so that the sweepings will be directed under the front end of the hood 4 into the path of the main brush 15.

It should be noted that the design and weight distribution of the sweeper unit A by reason of locating the heavy components of the unit such as the motor 27 and adjacent parts directly over the axle for the wheels 8, are such that the unit is balanced in a manner making it easy to tilt the unit about the axis of the wheels 8. This makes it possible with but a short movement of the handle C, which will be hereinafter fully described, to tilt the unit A so as to raise or lower the brush 15 and to maintain this brush at the desired elevation best suited to the particular surface, with very little effort on the part of the operator. This balance and consequent easy tilting of the unit A, as well as the holding of the brush at the desired elevation, may be effected with but little effort and is aided by the manner in which the collector unit B is coupled to the sweeper unit A, as will be hereafter pointed out.

It will be apparent with reference to Figs. 3 and S, that the brush 15 will force the sweepings through the passages 22 and 23 so as to discharge at the rear of the housing 1 into the collector unit B which latter is pivotally connected to the rear end of the housing. This pivotal connection between the units A and B is such that the rear end of the unit A supports the frontend of the unit B, whereby these connected ends will move downwardly upon tilting the unit A to raise the brush 15 and will move upwardly when tilting the unit A to lower the brush 15. The unit B tilts about the axis of casters 53 which support the rear end of the unit B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In the tilting of unit A so as to lower the front end thereof to the extent that the bristles will forcibly contact the ground or sweeping surfaces so as to be bent, as shown in Fig. 10, as may be desirable for some surfaces, the springs 12 supporting the casters 9 will yield to permit of-this positioning of the brush. in some raised positions of the brush 15,

which may be suitable for certain surfaces to be swept, the casters 9, as shown in Fig. 9, will be elevated from the ground. The balancing action provided by the dis tribution of weight of the unit A relative to the wheels 9, and the manner in which the collector unit B is constructed and coupled to the unit A, makes it possible to maintain the unit A in the desired tilted position with very little effort on the part of the operator manipulating the handle C.

The collector unit B is in the form of an elongated receptacle including a bottom wall 54, side walls 55, a sectional top wall or lid 56 and a rear end wall 57, the front end being open. The top wall or lid is hinged, as at 58, to a cross member 58a extending between the side walls 55, as shown in Fig. 3. The two sections 59 of the lid hingedly connected, as at 60, whereby the lid may be folded on the hinges 60 and raised on the hinges 53, as indicated in Fig. 3, to gain access to the interior of the collector for removing the contents thereof. When closed, the lid 56 rests on ledges 61 on the upper ends of the side and rear walls of the collector respectively.

It should be noted that the bottom wall 54 has an inclined front end portion 54a which causes any sweepings dropping from the discharge end of the passage 24 to gravitate rearwardly onto the horizontal portion of the rear wall. The bottom wall 54 and the rear end wall 57 are imperforate. The side walls 55 are imperforate except for the rear end portions thereof, which are provided with screened outlet openings 62 to allow the air blast developed by the brush 15, to escape laterally from opposite sides of the collector. The lid 56 may also be provided adjacent its rear end with a transversely extended screened outlet opening 63. A shield 64 extends over the opening 63 and is open at its ends whereby the discharge from this opening will be directed laterally from opposite sides of the top of the collector B. This lateral discharge prevents the air and dust from being blown against the operator who stands and walks rearwardly of the collector while holding and manipulating the rear end of the handle C.

As shown in Fig. 3, a flexible sheet 65' of canvas or similar material may be used as a liner for the bottom wall 54 to facilitate removal of the sweepings from the collector. One end of this sheet is fastened to the ledge 61 at the upper end of the end wall 57, whereby the sheet depends therefrom so as to cover the inner side of the end wall 57 and extend over the bottom wall 54. The other end of the sheet 65 is hinged to a rectangular platelike member 66 which is removably supported upon the inclined portion 54a of the bottom wall. With this arrangement the sweepings will collect on the sheet 65 which readily may be manipulated by lifting the member 66 and pulling up the sheet so as to dump the contents of the collector when the lid 56 is raised.

The rear end of the sweeper unit A and the front end of the collector unit B are telescopically engaged as well as pivotally connected where they overlap. As shown in Fig. 4, pivot studs 67 are fixed to brackets 68 of channel shape. These studs are extended through the side walls 55 of the unit B as Well as the side walls 2 of the unit A. A nut 69 and washer 70 are mounted on each stud to hold it in place as a pivot pin. The brackets 68 may be mounted on the outer sides of the side walls 55 of the collector unit, as these walls, in this instance, are outermost at the telescopic joint of the side wall of the units A and B. Suflicient space is provided between the top wall 3 of the unit A and the cross member 5811 on the unit B to permit of downward and upward movement of the pivotally connected ends of the units A and B. A wide flexible strip 71 is fastened to the wall 24 so as to overlie the joint between the rear end of the wall 24 and the upper end of the inclined front end 5411 of the bottom wall of the collector unit B.

As the handle C is employed to steer the sweeper as a whole and is manipulated to tilt the sweeper unit A to raise and lower the brush 15, it is U-shaped and extends to a point rearwardly of the collector unit. The free ends of the sides 72 of the handle C are pivoted, as at 73, to the outer sides of the side walls 2 at points above and somewhat forwardly of the axis of the wheels 8.

In order that the cross member 74 of the handle may be disposed at an elevation best suited to the particular operator for an easy manipulation, the sides 72 of the handle are vertically adjustably gripped between adjusting screws 75 and 76 on the brackets 68. Lock nuts 77 are operable for holding the screws and handle in adjusted position.

I claim:

1. In a sweeper: a wheel-supported housing mounted to tilt about the axis of the wheels; a rotary brush supported by said housing for movement toward and away from a surface to be swept responsive to said tilting of said housing; said housing having an open lower portion forwardly of said axis; said brush being mounted in said open lower portion; means providing within said housing a discharge passage extending from in front of said brush and upwardly over the top of the brush to a point above and rearwardly of said axis for discharging from the housing the sweepings picked up by said brush; a collector for said sweepings; means pivotally connecting one end of said collector with said housing; said end of said collector being open and in communication with said discharge passage; wheels supporting said collector; a handle connected,

at one end to said housing and extending rearwardly of said collector; means connecting said handle to said collector; and means embodied in said last named means for adjusting said handle to vary the elevation of the rear end of the handle.

2. In a sweeper: a housing having front and rear ends; wheels on said housing adjacent said rear end supporting said housing for tilting movement about the axis of the wheels; a rotary'brush carried by said housing adjacent said front end; means on said housing for driving said wheels and said brush; a receptacle for the sweepings picked up by said brush; said receptacle having front and rear ends; wheels supporting said receptacle adjacent said rear end of said receptacle; means pivotally connecting the front end of said receptacle with the rear end of said housing; said last named means including side walls on said housing and receptacle respectively disposed in overlapping relation and pivot members extending through said overlapped side walls; and a handle connected with the side walls of said housing and said receptacle respectively, operable for tilting said housing and said receptacle about the axis of the supporting wheels therefor.

3. In a sweeper: a housing having front and rear ends; wheels on said housing adjacent said rear end supporting said housing for tilting movement about the axis of the wheels; a rotary brush carried by said housing adjacent said front end; means on said housing for driving said wheels and said brush; a receptacle for the sweepings picked up by said brush; said receptacle having front and rear ends; wheels supporting said receptacle adjacent said rear end of said receptacle; means pivotally connecting the front end of said receptacle with the rear end of said housing; said last named means including side walls on said housing and receptacle respectively disposed in overlapping relation and pivot members extending through said overlapped side walls; a handle pivoted to the side walls of said housing and extending rearwardly so that one end is disposed adjacent said rear end of said receptacle; and means connecting said handle to said side walls of said receptacle at points adjacent said pivot members.

4. In a sweeper: a housing having front and rear ends; wheels on said housing adjacent said rear end supporting said housing for tilting movement about the axis of the wheels; a rotary brush carried by said housing adjacent said front end; means on said housing for driving said wheels and said brush; a receptacle for the sweepings picked up by said brush; said receptacle having front and rear ends; wheels supporting said receptacle adjacent said rear end of said receptacle; means pivotally connecting the front end of said receptacle with the rear end of said housing; said last named means including side walls on said housing and receptacle respectively disposed in overlapping relation and pivot members extending through said overlapped side walls; a handle pivoted tothe side walls of said housing and extending rearwardly so that one end is disposed adjacent-said rear end of said receptacle; brackets carried by said pivot members; and adjusting screws carried by said brackets and clamping said handle therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 643,386 Smith Feb. 13, 1900 666,689 Phillips Jan. 29, 1901 838,290 Westman Dec. 11, 1906 1,224,349 Yessue May 1, 1917 2,054,713 Randolph Sept. 15, 1936 2,561,500 DAstici July 24, 1951 2,590,734 Strong Mar. 25, 1952 2,654,106 Parker Oct. 6, 1953 2,657,408 Machovec Nov. 3, 1953 2,678,462 Lison et al May 18, 1954 2,727,265 Dunham Dec. 20, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,243 Australia Nov. 11, 1930 867,152 France July 7, 1941 

